Meet the next generation of heavyweight stars vying to take the reins from Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

19/04/2024 12:01

The future looks bright for boxing’s marquee weight class.

As Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk near the end of their respective careers the debate over who will reign supreme among the next generation of heavyweight stars is more prevalent than ever.

All three men are in their mid to late thirties and have been competing at the peak of the sport for several years.

Boxing needs fresh heavyweight contenders to take the reins from the big three once they inevitably hang up their gloves in the not-so-distant future.

Luckily for fans, there are plenty of exciting prospects who look destined to achieve big things in years to come.

Here, talkSPORT.com looks at five of the very best up-and-coming stars the glamour division has to offer.

Bakhodir Jalolov

Jalolov is usually the first name on people’s lips when discussing possible contenders for the heavyweight throne.

The towering Uzbeki southpaw stands 6ft 7in tall and has a monstrous 81-inch reach.

However, he doesn’t move like a man of his size.

The 29-year-old is light on his feet and has outstanding boxing fundamentals that have paved the way for a phenomenal amateur career.

In the unpaid ranks, Jalolov has won gold medals at two World Championships, three Asian Championships and the Tokyo Olympic Games.

He is expected to achieve similar heights in the pros after building up an impressive 14-0 undefeated record without the vest.

Frank Sanchez

Sanchez is the furthest along in his career among the names on this list.

The Cuban counterpuncher faces Agit Kabayel in a WBC final eliminator bout on Fury and Usyk’s undercard next month.

A win there will put him in a primed position to box whoever emerges victorious from the four-belt shootout.

And he looks to be a handful for either man.

Sanchez is a thinking man’s fighter who possesses excellent boxing IQ, composure and enough tricks to keep his opponent guessing.

At 31 years old he is now in his prime years as a heavyweight and has progressed well during his 24-fight (24-0) run in the paid ranks.

Jared Anderson

The United States has a rich history of producing top-quality heavyweights but in recent years there has been a severe shortage of talented prospects.

American fans will be hoping that worrying trend ends with Anderson.

The 24-year-old has barely put a foot wrong in his undefeated 17-0 career (besides a wobbly moment against Charles Martin last year) and oozes quality.

However, legal problems outside of the ring threaten to mar his career.

In November 2023, Anderson was booked for improperly handling firearms in a vehicle while being knowingly under the influence and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The following month, the OVI charge was dropped and he was fined $200 and handed a 180-day suspended sentence.

Four months later, on Saturday, March 2, 2024, Anderson was charged with fleeing a police officer and leading them on a six-mile chase.

He appeared before court on Monday, two days after his unanimous decision win over Ryad Mehry.

Moses Itauma

Teenage sensation Itauma is Britain’s most exciting young heavyweight for our money.

He comes highly-thought after by Fury, who believes the 19-year-old starlet is the ‘future of the heavyweight division’ – and it’s easy to see why.

Itauma has never lost, neither as an amateur or a professional.

The Chatham-based boxer has got off to a perfect 8-0 start to his pro career and went 24-0 during a brief but impactful amateur stint that saw him pick up gold medals at the Youth European Championships and Youth World Championships.

Itauma’s explosive all-action style has led to him being branded ‘Britain’s Mike Tyson‘ in the national press while the Brit has eyes firmly set on breaking ‘Iron Mike’s’ record as the youngest heavyweight champion of all time (20 years, 4 months, and 22 days old).

Justis Huni

Huni has gone under the radar somewhat when it comes to the next generation of heavyweight stars.

The Aussie technician is a classy boxer with a world-class amateur pedigree having won gold at the Youth World Championships and bronze at the senior edition of the tournament.

Many fans have begun to write Huni off after his nip-and-tuck affair with Kevin Lerena last month.

But that fight, which saw Huni caught on unsteady legs on a couple of occasions, proved that he can battle through serious adversity to win a fight – a key attribute any boxer needs to reach the upper echelons of the sport.

At 25 years old there is still plenty to come from the Queensland boxer, who is still in the early stages of his pro career at 9-0.